Portuguese red table wines are a fast-growing category. I’m drawn to them because of all the indigenous grape varieties that you don’t find elsewhere, like this bottle which is a blend of Baga (the most widely planted red grape in Bairrada) and Touriga Nacional. Both are small-berried varieties that produce high tannin levels.
Note: the specifications below are from the bottle labels, but it doesn’t all match up with what’s on the spec sheet from the producer’s website. Most notably, the spec sheet says there is Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend.
Producer: Vinhos Messias — Quinta do Valdoeiro
Grapes: 50% Baga, 50% Touriga Nacional
Appellation: Bairrada (Portugal)
Vineyards: Clay soils
Aging: 6 months in French oak
Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: I paid $11.40 at Spec’s in Austin
My Tasting Notes: Good dark color. On the nose, I get lots of cherry and dark fruit notes with a good dose of sweet oak. A couple of times, I catch a Windex-like aroma, but it’s not persistent. It’s pretty juicy in the mouth with the cherry/berry elements carrying through and a bit of a green/herbal aspect sneaking in. Nice tannic grip at the end (those small, thick-skinned grape varieties) and a nicely lingering finish. With the dark fruit and the oak and the tannin, this wine acts a bit like a BIG wine, but it doesn’t feel big and heavy in the mouth. And at 12.5% with good acid, this makes a fine little wine for weeknight fare (like tonight’s stuffed bell peppers).
Grade: I’ll be buying more of this. B
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